2017 Patriots Rookie Eyeball Test

The rookie eyeball test is one of the oldest continuing columns here at PatsProp, and probably the one I enjoy writing the most every year. It signifies that the crapshoot known as draft prep is over and that the Patriots have their collection of rookies and now it’s time to superficially judge them by their number and helmet choices.

Unfortunately the only place to get these pics is at Patriots.com and being the upstanding blogger that I am, I’ll link to the pictures we’re talking about instead of posting them so as to not disturb the mothership.

The Patriots had a small draft class but with some notable undrafted rookie signees there’s still quite a bit to digest here.

Let’s get after it with the five most interesting!

Derek Rivers

Rivers took no. 95, last worn by Chris Long, Chandler Jones and Mark Anderson, and while I’m fine with the number I’m still waiting for someone to truly make it their own, so maybe that will be Rivers. What’s confusing to me is that Rivers felt more like the Collins pick, while Diedrich Wise felt like the Chandler pick, so the fact that they went with the opposite numbers (Wise is no. 91) throws me off a bit.

I do like his helmet/facemask choice, which feels more linebacker-y than defensive end-y to me (and yes I know this might make no sense but that’s how the rookie eyeball test goes). Rivers should assimilate well as a rookie with this look. I expect he’ll start off as a designated pass rusher/special teamer and nothing ingratiates a fan base to a new look like flying off the edge for a sack.

Diedrich Wise

Wise is really throwing me off. I expect he’ll be more of a defensive line player so seeing 91 in that role will take some getting used to. It’s a bit of a throwback to Marquis Hill (RIP) in that regard. But then there’s the helmet/facemask combo which is the one Malcom Brown wears that I’m not a fan of for defensive lineman because it’s just so small and not intimidating at all.

Pretty much my rule is that if you’re a defensive linemen your choices are the Ninkovich, Wilfork or Alan Branch helmet/facemask combos. Anything outside of those three is suspect in my book. If any rookie went with the Wilfork look (at any position pretty much) I’d pretty much instantly be their biggest fan.

Still, I think Wise is making this look work (I feel like Tim Gunn here) and I think he’ll look even better with pads on.

Tony Garcia

Holy Hoodie, now we are talking!! Garcia comes advertised as a mauler with a bad attitude and that sure comes through here, his first picture from minicamp. No. 63 is fine, there are only so many OL numbers that can get me excited (76 being on that’s avail), but the helmet/facemask here is just killer.

First, it’s reminiscent of a Brady-esque low-on-the-brow look, something I’ve always thought is a key to giving Brady an all-time great look. Second, while it’s not quite the Wilfork mask, it’s along those lines and is definitely more of throwback look, one which gets me excited.

It’s players like Garcia that are the reason I do this eyeball test. He passes with flying colors and gets me even more excited about him than I was when I watched his game tape.

Conor McDermott

No. 67 is always a good OL number but here we have the Malcom Brown facemask again and I’m just not feeling McDermott at all. It’s far from an intimidating OL look and I feel like someone could just reach in and karate chop him right in the bridge of the nose whenever they wanted to. McDermott is not off to a good start if he wants to be my new skinny-legged blog boo.

Austin Carr

Carr was the only rookie added at receiver and nothing is more fun to dissect than rookie receivers. Carr gets no. 81 which certainly has a storied history.

He’s rocking what has pretty much become the basic bitch of receiver helmets, which is fine. How effective it is for your look mostly depends on how good you are. I hated it when Welker and Edelman switched over to it, but it’s grown on me and really, it’s probably almost entirely predicated on this being the best helmet for slot receivers who get lit up a lot. So yeah, not gonna fault Carr on the choice, concussions are more important than my pageantry grades.

So this look is still very fluid and will depend on how he looks in pads. Carr’s a bigger receiver, so with pads on he should look a lot more NFL-y. Still, he looks like one of the whitest receivers ever and Chris Hogan might take that as an affront.